Devoted to the needs of hospice clients nationwide, Meg offers counsel and innovative strategy on compliance, audits, litigation and growth.

Having practiced hospice law across the country for nearly 20 years, Meg and the Husch Blackwell Hospice & Palliative Care Team know this healthcare space and have evolved with it. Meg anticipates industry trends and efficiently clears pathways for clients large and small, whether in a 15-minute call or negotiating a multimillion-dollar Unified Program Integrity Contractor (UPIC) audit. She enjoys strategizing solutions for clients on hospice legal issues including:

Government audits

Fraud investigations

Compliance

Fraud and abuse

Litigation

Palliative care program development

Inpatient unit structures

Contracting issues

Meg collaborates with leading groups such as the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), fostering education and monitoring developments on behalf of clients. In addition to proactive regulatory work and resolving obstacles, Meg enjoys facilitating client growth and innovative partnership opportunities with health systems and post-acute care providers as well as guiding hospices through mergers and acquisitions. She shares insights on hospice and palliative care, and speaks to industry innovators as host of the podcast “Hospice Insights: The Law and Beyond.” The most rewarding aspect of her practice is knowing that each person she encounters is working toward the same goal: providing compassionate, quality, end-of-life care to patients.

Successfully argued for hospice client that Unified Program Integrity Contractor (UPIC)'s $25 million extrapolated overpayment was invalid. At first level of appeal, hospice was vindicated leaving mere $70,000 in dispute.

Negotiated a $2 million settlement of a $25 million UPIC audit securing the hospice's future and its service to the community.

Through advocacy, secured non-intervention decisions by government prosecutors and subsequent case dismissals in numerous qui-tam whistleblower lawsuits across the country.

Secured elimination of $4.4 million extrapolated overpayment demand by UPIC. At reconsideration level of appeal, successfully argued that statistical extrapolation was fundamentally flawed and Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC) agreed that methodology was invalid.

Secured withdrawal of $15 million extrapolated overpayment demand by UPIC. Prior to filing first-level redetermination appeal, successfully argued that payment demand must be rescinded due to fundamental flaws in statistical extrapolation. Achieving withdrawal at this early stage allowed client to avoid years of costly litigation and, due to appeal backlog, the threat that multimillion recoupment would begin before case was heard by administrative law judge (ALJ).

Secured withdrawal of $12 million extrapolated UPIC audit finding before demand letter was issued. Almost immediately persuaded Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) and UPIC that fundamental errors were made in audit documentation review, rendering overpayment determinations and statistical extrapolation inaccurate. The hospice was thus able to avoid costly and time-consuming appeal.

At first level of appeal, successfully overturned 84% of UPIC claim denials and secured removal of extrapolation, reducing $7 million repayment to nearly $96,000.

Secured removal of extrapolation decision for hospice resulting in reduction of overpayment from approximately $6 million to approximately $100,000.

Successfully defended one of the first federal hospice Medicaid Integrity Contractor (MIC) audits by obtaining withdrawal of nearly entire $3 million overpayment. Coordinated with local counsel to challenge State's ability to recoup Medicaid nursing home room and board dollars on basis that Medicare hospice services were alleged to have not been medically necessary.

Received favorable decisions from ALJ on all beneficiary denials appealed in extrapolated sample, reducing overpayment from approximately $4.6 million to just under $40,000.

Successfully defended state Medicaid audit seeking to recover $6+ million in nursing home room and board pass-thru payments. After initial response, recoupment was reduced to ~$82,000.

“That two prominent groups of lawyers from two different firms see the same potential and opportunity at Husch Blackwell speaks volumes about our firm’s commitment to Madison and the larger Wisconsin market,” said Paul Eberle, Husch Blackwell’s Chief Executive.

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

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